Knots
by TisTheEast
Summary: A missing scene from series 1, episode 6 after Jackson returns to Tenter Street.


_Note: This is a missing scene from episode 6 that I envision taking place immediately after the "come and get your cream, peaches" scene. Although there are technically no spoilers for episode 7, the foreshadowing may make more sense if you've seen it._

"Perhaps you ought to sit down," Rose said for the second time since she and the other girls had been joined by their mistress.

Susan shook her head slightly, ignoring the way the dried blood make her hair stick to her temple, and resumed listening at the door for sounds of life in the rest of the house. She couldn't tell precisely how long they had been locked in the room; she only knew that the silence from outside was agonizing.

"Really Miss, you don't look well," Rose began, interrupting Susan's vigil once more.

"Hush, girl," Susan snapped, but before Rose could react, there came a crash from another part of the house accompanied by sounds of scuffling and then silence once more.

"Susan?"

At the sound of Jackson's voice, Susan exhaled a breath it felt like she had been holding for hours.

"Susan?" The alarm in his voice grew.

"We're here," she called out, trying to work the doorknob even though all of her previous attempts had been fruitless.

"Step away from the door sweetheart." His voice was closer now, and Susan took two steps backward and watched with Rose as the door shuddered once...twice...and finally sprang open depositing a bloodied and bruised Jackson at their feet.

The American winced as he hit the floor, but scrambled to back to his feet, careful to not to brace himself with his injured hand. Wrapping an arm around Susan's waist, he steered her out of the room calling behind him, "The rest of you stay here until she tells you."

They were no sooner in the hallway when Susan turned to face him, her hands hovering near his bloody lips. "My god, what have done to you?"

"I'll be fine," Jackson muttered, narrowing his eyes on her injuries, which were mild compared to his . "Pity I don't have time to kill all three of them."

"So they are indeed…." Susan closed her eyes for moment, finding it momentarily hard to breath.

"A bit worse for the wear, but alive, yes," Jackson said, a bit unsure as to why she seemed so panicked as he tried to suppress his own concern over the issue of the bomb yet to be dealt with, Reid having yet to be alerted of it's presence. In order to accomplish that task, they'd need to move quickly so despite the pain and the blood, he gave her a charming grin. "Last time I checked, you weren't terribly fond of the idea of dead bodies in the house."

"This is not a joking matter," she hissed. "You know these men won't be the end of this. It will only confirm that our whereabouts for him to send Frank and his men right to our doorstep and -"

"Darlin', darlin' darlin'," Jackson interrupted, taking both of her hands into his good one and holding them close to his heart. "That's not what this is. Swift's got connections, but not like these, not here, and if Frank had it out for us, he'd come for us himself."

Susan's eyes met his for moment and finding confirmation in his gaze, she began to calm down. Her breathing had finally returned to normal when a loud groan came from behind one of the doors in the hallway.

"You're going to have to help me get 'em tied up," Jackson said steering her toward the source of the sound. "Managed to drag 'em in here, but you'll have to do the rest." He held up his injured hand both as evidence and to halt their progress. With his good hand, Jackson produced a pistol from his vest pocket, having recovered it after knocking out Constantine. He handed the weapon to Susan before opening the door.

Constantine and one of his men were still where Jackson had deposited them on opposite sides of the small room. The third man had moved a few feet and was slumped near the door, but a well placed kick from Jackson ensured the thug would remain immobile long enough to be restrained. Neither flinching at the sound of the impact nor seeming terribly phased by the task before her, Susan worked in a detached silence, moving easily in sync with Jackson as he'd prop up each man against one of the bedposts so she could tie the knots.

Trying to move as quickly as possible, Jackson was still able to steal a moment here and there to watch her at work; her slim hands both graceful and sure. A woman of her upbringing shouldn't have gone along with any of this so easily, much less have known the correct knots to keep their prisoners from escaping.

"This will be far easier if you remain still."

Their task complete and the door locked with the men safely tied up behind it, Susan shifted her attention to attempting to bandage Jackson's hand.

"That'll do for now, darlin'" Jackson said, pulling on his jacket, his face still smeared with dried blood.

She stared at him incredulously. "You're leaving?"

"I've got to get to Reid."

"That man can most certainly handle his own affairs for the time-being," Susan snapped. "You're in no condition-"

"Susan, there's a bomb in the city. Those men upstairs are responsible for it, and right now other than them, you and I are the only people who know about it," he replied heading down the main staircase toward the front door.


End file.
